Nicolas Cage

Originally famous as Francis Ford Coppola's nephew, Nicolas Cage sought out his own fame by literally creating a name for himself and a complimentary set of screen personas -- action hero (Face/Off, Ghost Rider), romantic lead (Moonstruck, City of Angels), man of science (National Treasure, Knowing), and fractured soul (Leaving Las Vegas, Adaptation).

Amid famous accusations of selling out on his Oscar-caliber talent in exchange for big money and movie idol status, Nicolas Cage still stands as one of Hollywood's biggest and most eccentric movie stars. In a town where celebrity oddities are only as far away as the next issue of The National Enquirer, that's really saying something, but we are talking about a guy who owns a 28-bedroom German castle, who adopted the last name of a Marvel Comics superhero and who named his son after Superman.

Appeal

People can make fun of his movie hairpieces all they want, but Nicolas Cage has had no shortage of beautiful women in his life, either on-screen (Angelina Jolie, Meg Ryan, Diane Kruger, Jessica Biel, Eva Mendes) or off. It's not really surprising, since this is a guy whose flamboyant personality and extravagant lifestyle have led him to collect sports cars and castles at the same pace that Lindsay Lohan collects DUI charges. Like a high roller at an auto auction, Nicolas Cage likes to go far and fast with women. He unsuccessfully proposed to actress Patricia Arquette shortly after meeting her at a California deli, but after running into her years later at the same deli, they did tie the knot, only to have it end in divorce.

The circumstances of Nicolas Cage's marriage to Patricia Arquette were curious enough, but his second celebrity union proved to be just as odd. A devoted fan of Elvis Presley (who inspired his Wild at Heart character), Nicolas Cage had already built his own home tribute to The King when he became acquainted with Lisa Marie Presley at a gathering in 2002. A rare tour of the King's bedroom, a quick engagement and an even faster marriage ensued. While marrying the daughter of your musical idol might seem like a cool (or creepy) idea to some, it was just a sad case of fools rushing in (right, Elvis?). The marriage went kaput a little over 100 days later, but since then, Nicolas Cage has found family stability with his wife since 2004, Alice Kim, and their son, Kal-El who is named after Superman.

Success

To the majority of movie critics, the body of Nicolas Cage's work is often entertaining (Raising Arizona, The Rock), occasionally brilliant (Adaptation, Leaving Las Vegas), and sometimes downright terrible (The Wicker Man, Bangkok Dangerous). Though consistency and restrained performances may not be commonplace for Nicolas Cage, the man at least deserves some credit for doing the movies that he likes and not coasting along on the same worn-out cinematic image. If anything, he keeps his audiences guessing and his creative juices flowing. As an actor who openly thrives on dividing his audiences, this kind of roller coaster career is exactly what he wants.

The eyes of Oscar have eluded Nicolas Cage since his win for Leaving Las Vegas and his nomination for Adaptation. For now he continues on in full movie star mode with occasional detours into the eccentric and the bizarre. As per usual, his upcoming slate is a combination of genres that includes comic book adaptations (Kick-Ass), supernatural thrillers (Season of the Witch) and what promises to be a memorable rendezvous with the infamous Werner Herzog (Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans).

Nicolas Cage Biography

Born Nicolas Coppola, future star Nicolas Cage gained his earliest acting experiences as a youngster when he would put on performances with his siblings and star in short films filmed by his brother, Christopher. After further dabbling in stage productions and acting lessons, Nicolas Cage pulled the plug on his education at Beverly Hills High School (where he was pals with Crispin Glover) and decided to make acting his full-time pursuit. After a small role in the iconic 1982 high school comedy Fast Times at Ridgemont High, Nicolas Cage got a cinematic boost from his uncle, Francis Ford Coppola, who gave him a role opposite Matt Dillon and Mickey Rourke in 1983's Rumble Fish.

Not wanting his famous relative to become the raison d'être for his career, Nicholas Cage dropped the last name of Coppola and replaced it with Cage in recognition of comic book hero Luke Cage. His new shift away from the Coppola name began with his first lead role in 1983's Valley Girl, but surprisingly, he would immediately work with his uncle again for two more films, playing a gangster in The Cotton Club, and the high school sweetheart of the time-traveling Kathleen Turner in the romantic fable, Peggy Sue Got Married. Nicolas Cage's next romantic foray in the very Italian romance Moonstruck would get him early praise, along with a Golden Globe nomination, as the hotheaded younger man who steals Cher's heart.

nicolas cage stars in leaving las vegas and adaptation

Because of Moonstruck, Nicolas Cage became a recognizable on-screen personality and his subsequent roles came to reflect the very different sides of his personality. He ate cockroaches on-screen in Vampire's Kiss, kidnapped babies for the Coen Brothers in Raising Arizona, and made Elvis into a tough guy in David Lynch's off-kilter romance, Wild at Heart. While Nicolas Cage had established himself as a modern-day cinematic loose cannon, no one was quite sure if he could harness that talent into an Oscar nomination. After parachuting with flying Elvises to romance Sarah Jessicar Parker in 1992's Honeymoon in Vegas, Nicolas Cage returned to Las Vegas in the bare bones 1995 indie film, Leaving Las Vegas. As a despondent alcoholic who finds company and acceptance from an emotionally crippled prostitute (Elisabeth Shue), Nicolas Cage won his highest praise to date, which culminated in an Oscar for Best Actor.

Now fixed with the label of "serious actor," Nicolas Cage ignored that title in favor of becoming an action hero instead. The triple shot of The Rock, Con Air and Face/Off added testosterone and movie cheese to Nicolas Cage's career, making him a summer blockbuster favorite for entertainment junkies with a need to check their brains at the door. Audiences seemed to approve, but these new acting choices didn't sit well with Sean Penn, who went public to say that Nicholas Cage was "no longer an actor," implying that his Oscar-worthy career was now tarnished. After openly questioning why Sean Penn cared so much about someone else's career, Nicolas Cage fought back against the sellout accusations by getting his second Oscar nomination as disillusioned screenwriter Charlie Kaufman and his fictional twin Donald in the 2002 Spike Jonze film, Adaptation.

nicolas cage stars in national treasure and kick-ass

In 2004, Nicolas Cage enjoyed his biggest box office success in years as the Indiana Jones-inspired Benjamin Gates in National Treasure. In keeping with his unpredictable ways, he didn't continue on the blockbuster route, choosing instead to play a soulless arms dealer opposite Bridget Moynahan in Lord of War and a hapless television personality in The Weather Man. While neither film was a mainstream his, Nicolas Cage's performances in each were positively noted. He garnered further praise as 9/11 survivor John McLoughlin in Oliver Stone's World Trade Center before becoming the butt of YouTube jokes for going stupendously over-the-top to wear a bear suit and fight crazy women in the ill-advised remake of The Wicker Man.

Following a stint as Johnny Blaze, who becomes Ghost Rider in a deal with the Devil, and the inevitable National Treasure: Book of Secrets, Nicolas Cage entered the realm of apocalyptic cinema to play a professor uncovering the links between numbers and disasters in the 2009 hit, Knowing. Soon afterward, he played a troubled cop who sees imaginary iguanas and smokes from lucky crack pipes in Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans, his first effort for the ever-eccentric director Werner Herzog. In 2010, Nicolas Cage returns to the comic book realm for Kick-Ass, where he'll play a crusader helping an aspiring superhero. He'll also star as a sorcerer in The Sorcerer's Apprentice and a knight transporting deadly female cargo in Season of the Witch.